About

Located at Pukekura Park in the heart of New Plymouth, the TSB Festival of Lights is a six-week, free event made up of beautiful light features and epic events including music and daytime activities for kids and seniors.

NPDC loves bringing this ultimate summer festival to New Plymouth every year.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Lights on 8.30pm – 11pm every night, rain or shine

During the Festival, lights are on from 8.30pm. At 10.45pm a siren will sound at the band rotunda to notify you to vacate the park before the lights are switched off at 11pm.

Getting to the festival

Pukekura Park's main entrance is 10 Fillis Street, which is just a 10-minute walk from New Plymouth’s CBD.

Festival Hub

During the Festival, the Festival Hub is the place to go for all festival information, maps and more. Enter via Pukekura Park’s main gates and you'll find it.

Dog Control

A temporary dog ban is in place throughout Pukekura Park from 7pm to midnight for the duration of the festival.

Parking

During the festival, the Bellringer Pavilion car park is pedestrian access only. Parking is available at TSB Stadium carpark, located off Rogan Street, at the Rogan and Victoria Street car parks and surrounding streets. Accessible/limited mobility car parking is located along Fillis Street and at TSB Stadium.

Entertainment Stages

Please bring low chairs and picnic blankets to sit on while watching performances. If you do need a high-backed chair or have pushchairs or wheelchairs, keep these to the sides and back of the lawns so you don’t obstruct the view of others.

Alcohol Control

During the entertainment programme, alcohol may be consumed in a responsible manner on the stage lawn where an act is performing. This applies until 10pm on the Hatchery Lawn and Fred Parker Lawn. Alcohol is available to be purchased from the Festival Hub but must be consumed within the designated Hub area. A park-wide alcohol ban is in place for all other areas of Pukekura Park between 7pm and 7am. Failure to comply may result in seizure of alcohol and/or arrest and prosecution.

Smokefree

Please respect other festival visitors and New Plymouth District Council’s smokefree parks, playgrounds and sportsgrounds policy by refraining from smoking and vaping within Pukekura Park.

Recycling

Waste Management is helping to keep the festival tidy. Look for the labels on wheelie bins and make sure you put your rubbish into the appropriate bin. If a recycling bin gets tainted with non-recyclable rubbish it all goes to the landfill, so please work with us to help keep our festival and park clean and green.

Bike Control

There is no cycling allowed in Pukekura Park, day or night. Please leave your bike at home or use the bike racks at the Bellringer Pavilion or the Brooklands Zoo car park.

Free Regional Buses

Catch a ride to the festival for free!

Buses will be running:

Saturday 19 December
Saturday 2 January
Saturday 16 January

Buses depart from:

Hawera/Eltham/Stratford/Inglewood
Urenui/Waitara/Bell Block
Opunake/Okato/Ōākura

Phone 06-757 5783 to register. Departure details will be confirmed at the time of booking.

Bookings close at midday, one day prior to the event. You must be 14 years or over to use this bus service unless accompanied by an adult.

Food and drinks

Light Bites

Find out about our food trucks nights.

Tea House on the Lake

Tea House on the Lake will be open each evening selling ice-creams and other food and drinks. You can also grab a hot coffee from its cart on the Hatchery Lawn from 19 December.

Picnics

You're welcome to bring your own picnic to enjoy on the stage lawns. Read about our alcohol control requirements.

Accessibility and Inclusion

Getting Around the Park

The light trail has a steep gradient in parts which could prove difficult to navigate for those in wheelchairs or with limited mobility.

Accessible/Limited Mobility Parking

Accessible/limited mobility car parking is located along Fillis Street and TSB Stadium. A festival map will be published soon and will have details on parking locations.

Accessible Transport from TSB Stadium

Transport will be available for you to get to and from the mobility parking area at TSB Stadium to the Fred Parker Lawn. If the transport isn't there when you arrive, it won't be far away. No booking required.

Dates: 19 December - 31 January / 8pm - 10.30pm

Limited Mobility Buggy Tours

Friends of Pukekura Park are offering buggy tours to those with limited mobility who want to experience the festival. Bookings are essential.
Dates: 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26, 27 and 28 January
Time: 8.30pm – 10pm
To book: 06-759 6060 or enquiries@npdc.govt.nz. Bookings taken from Tuesday 1 December.

Wheelchairs

The festival has two wheelchairs available for hire to assist with getting around the park. Bookings are essential.
Dates: 19 December – 31 January
Time: 8.00pm – 10.30pm
Pick up from: Festival Hub
To book: 06-759 6060 or enquiries@npdc.govt.nz. Bookings taken from Tuesday 1 December.

Mobility Scooters

The Taranaki Disability Information Centre has five mobility scooters available for free hire during the festival.
Dates: 19 December – 31 January
Time: 8.00pm – 10.30pm
Pick up from: Festival Hub
To book: 022 166 8720. Bookings taken from Tuesday 1 December.

Best Festographer

We’re on the hunt for the Best Festographer!

What we’re looking for: Photos that show the festival from your perspective. We want to see fresh, exciting images. There are three photo categories you can enter.

1. let’s play: people interacting with a light feature

2. let's groove : people enjoying a music event

3. let's eat: a festival foodie experience

How to enter: Upload your photo to Facebook or Instagram with #BestFestographer, and the category you’re entering: #letsplay, #letsgroove, or #letseat. In order for us to see your image, you have to set it to public. Four finalists will be selected from entries across all three categories and the overall winner will be decided by public vote.If you win, your photo will also need to be supplied in a high resolution format for use in our promotional material.

What you’ll win: If you’re the Best Festographer winner, your photo will feature in the TSB Festival of Light’s marketing for the following season, and you’ll also win a $500 voucher for a local business of your choice.

Terms and conditions apply and will be uploaded soon.

FAQs

Parking

Where can I park?
Parking is available at TSB Stadium carpark, located off Rogan Street, at the Rogan and Victoria Street car parks and surrounding streets. Accessible/limited mobility car parking is located along Fillis Street and at TSB Stadium. Between 5pm and 7am the following day, main gate access to the Bellringer Pavilion car park is restricted to pedestrian access only.

Times and Cancellations

What time do the lights come on?
The lights will be on every night from 8.30pm until 11pm from Saturday 19 December to Sunday 31 January.

Do the lights ever get cancelled in wet weather?
No, the lights run as scheduled throughout the festival.

Do events get cancelled in wet weather?
Yes, please check the specific event page and our Facebook page for updates. We make announcements on the day of the event.

Lost Children and Property

What happens if I lose my children?
Although we take every safety precaution in the organisation of events, as a parent or caregiver, you are responsible for supervising your children. We recommend you write your cell phone number on their arm and create an agreed meeting point within your group in case someone does get lost.

What do I do with lost and found items?
If you have lost an item at the park, please get in touch with the NPDC contact centre. 06 759 6060 or enquiries@npdc.govt.nz. If you find something, please take it to the Festival Hub between 8pm - 10.30pm or hand it in to security.

Dogs

Can I bring my dog?
No, for the comfort of all users, please leave your pets at home. There is a dog ban from 7.00pm - midnight during the festival.

Food and Alcohol

Can I bring a picnic and wine?
Yes, you can bring your picnic and wine to enjoy on the Hatchery Lawn and the Fred Parker Lawn during the performances. Alcohol will be available to be purchased from the Festival Hub but must be consumed within the designated Hub area.

Please note that a park-wide alcohol ban is in place for all other areas of Pukekura Park between 7pm and 7am.

Are there places to buy food?
Yes, Teahouse on the Lake is open during the festival and on selected dates Light Bites food truck nights will be on.

Bikes

Can I ride my bike through the park?
No, Pukekura Park is a pedestrian-friendly park which gets very busy during the Festival, so please leave your bikes at home. The riding of bikes is prohibited within Pukekura Park at all times.

History

In 1953 a fountain was installed in Pukekura Park's Fountain Lake, to commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, with lights installed on Poet's Bridge and around the Main Lake. In 1955 Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited New Plymouth and lights were added to the new fountain for them to enjoy. It was the 1970s when music and entertainment became a feature of the annual lights event, and it was 1993 when we were officially named the 'Festival of Lights'. We have been growing ever since then, and now offer 50 days and nights of events and lights!

Get Involved

Volunteer at the festival

Our volunteers are the face of the festival and provide fun and friendly information points and guidance to people within the park over the TSB Festival of Lights season.

Why volunteer at the festival?

Give something back to your community
Enjoy being out and about, making the most of our summer evenings
Share the experience of volunteering with a friend or family by volunteering together! Or meet new people and make friends
Get an exclusive sneak peek of the festival before it officially starts
Receive an official t-shirt and an invite to an exclusive post-festival volunteers event

If you're interested in volunteering, we'd love to hear from you!

Apply now